Connector position assurance components (CPA) are used in an electrical connection system to insure that the two connector halves are fully mated before the CPA can be seated, and after full mating of the connectors, to insure that the connectors stay locked together in the mated position. Recently, staged CPAs have been developed that allow the CPA to be mounted onto the connection system prior to the connection being made between the two connector halves. To accomplish this, the CPA is usually inserted into one of the male or female connector housings and moved in a direction that is either co-linear or perpendicular with the mating direction of the connector housings to a first pre-staged position. Thereafter, the male and female connector housings are mated together and the CPA is moved further forward in the same co-linear or perpendicular direction to a final fully seated position that prevents the connector from being inadvertently unlocked. With the existing unidirectional CPA designs, however, if too much force is used in the initial step of moving the CPA to the pre-staged position, the CPA can be moved passed the pre-staged position to the final fully seated position. This often prevents the male and female connectors from being mated thereafter. If this occurs, it adds labor, cost and time to the assembly process.
The present invention provides alternatives to and advantages over the prior art.